Foot exercising machine



June 27, 1950 c. c. MosHlER 2,513,197

FooT ExERcIsING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOPNEYS' Q IM Qu June 27, 1950 c. c. MosHlER FOOT EXERCISING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Shea?I 2 Filed Aug. 11, 194e .mmm .Q mm 3 Nm, N 1H. .m a

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mw* A m ATTORNEYS June 27, 1950 C, C, MOSHER 2,513,197

FOOT EXERCISING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 sa 7o lmHuWh 6@rll 7| @HUH lllimi6 65@ y 1 1l 11111 l Il INVEN TOR. C/mr/es @Moshe/i BY armgy @ML ATTORNEYS Patented June 27, 19.50

umrrso PATE-Nr oFF-Ice FOOT EXERCISINGMCHINE charles.ciivnshrerfthan.ont `ApplioationfAu'gust-11, 19182,"S'15a1fNoil43,7112 f f chine. It has'to dog'morepartieularly, witha `foot exercising machine ofv thegeneral type; illustrated inv myPatents No. 2.3763000'of May 15 19,45" and No. 2,3973428 of March 26,1946. The' presentinvention is directedrto important improvements over the machine'disclosed in saidpatents.

The machine disclosed-fin' myr prior patents `Was adapted to subject? the front portion' of theffoot to a circular movement while holding" the'rear portion-of the foot fin a' relatively xed-positionin order to exercisethe jointsof the foot; ligaments; muscles andfascia around the joints sof-as t'oas'- sist'V inmaintaining;y proper bl'ood' circulation and tolhelp to relieve nerverpressure.

v'Ihe'present machine: is provided for the same purpose but acc'ompl'ishesthis purposeinamore natural and benecialway. With thermachine disclosed' herein, the' same f gentle and' beneficial treatment can'be given which,l formerly could be given only by the hands and ngersi ofV the `highly skilled technician, aftermany yearsof trai-rungL and experience.

AccordingY to the presentinvention;the-forward portion of the foot` isfmovedz-throughy a= circular path, the direction. of movement being reversed at intervals. Instead of supporting therearportion of the foot inA a relativelyfxedposition during. the circular movement of tlieforwardsportion of the foot, the' heel portionor rear` portionais unsupported and; consequently, a;- morenatural manipulation of the foot can-be obtained. The circular' motion imparted to the toe mem-bers or front portion of the foot will necessarily flex the mid-portion of the footand also createaslight longitudinal action between the toes and the metatarsal joint of thefoot. In addition-'to the manipulation :ofV the frontl porti-on.l of? theffoot, the main arch portionlis subjected to a kneading-action. This is accomplished byVSubjeCting-Lthe arch yto av rolling action-which relieves pressure thereon;- The machineof this inventionwill manipulate both feet at once and, in thisrespect; differs from my priormachine: whichy was designed to act on.v one foot at a-time: The driving and actuatingfmeansfofthe presentinvention'are entirely,vv dilerent'from `and moreA efeient than those provideddnsmy priormachin'e` The preferredtembediment of myA inventionfis illustrated -infthe accompanyingV drawingsfwherein similar characters ot-referencedesignateoorresponding par-tsX and-wherein; f Y.

Figurev 1y is a=v perspective view, partly breken away, ofaY machine made f according-to myinventiont v i Y l 2' FigurefZfisafview; partlyf in top planI and partinhorizontalf section, of the-machine of` Figurefl.

-v VFigure isa verticalfsectional: View taken substantiallyalo'ng lin'el 3='-3"of' Figure 2;

Figure 4 is lva "verticali sectionalV view' taken substantially along-line 4-L-4f'of FigureV 2-v at right angles to that of-Figure'3.

Figure 511s aiv similar;` sectional view but taken substantiallyl along'line 5--5of Figure 2.

Figure-Gils?anfenlargedischematic view illustratinghow-th'e ffoot'is supported by my machine.

Figure."v '7i isr; a scher'na'tic."` Viewr illustrating how the? foot is manipulated ".byfmy machine. Withreference -torthecdrawings, in Figure 1 I have illustratedV my machine as including af supportingabase' platel over which ahousing 2 is slippedand whi'chiis.` secured-'thereto by means ofrbolts 3.1" The housing 2 is provided With an upstanding-'rear' portion 4 Vand alower forward portion 5;". 1

Mountedlforzthe baseplate VI within the housingiias shownl best inFigures 2 and 5, is an electricdrivingmotor 6.1" This motor drives a gear unit 'I` extending; from one-'side ofthe motor, it being not'edflthatf'thel m'otor is disposed within the'ip'ortionf Ilot? thev housing at'on'e corner thereof; The gear; unit IA-drives` a forwardly extending; shafti'ito Which-f it is coupled by a suitable couplings 9:: Thershaft ofthe-unit 'I has a sprocket' [Wand ani adjacentgeara I I keyedithereon".

Thefshaft` 8% extends through therforward Wall of".-lrimisingql portion 4 into an opstanding; worm housingnlfvvhich is supported on the base plate vI;` Withinfther housing: I2, the shaft 8 -carriesa Wormf I'3r which? meshes witl'ilr a Worin gear I4 mounted-for rotation-'about'rthe axis of.' the vertical shaft I5 to wliichxitis-rkeyed. The shaft I5 extends upwardly through the'. top'ofthe housing I 2r'.v (Figure 13,) and has keyedfon' its upper end aora-nlr- Iii;r The-louterfend of ther crank` I6 carries ailrrollerllll which operates withina' slotI I8 iormedin an actuatingfiarmwlg. It will be noted from Fig-uref 2; that thev shaft-` I 5 'is .substantially midway'of the-sidesao'ff-the:A housing. It 'will be evidentffromaFiguresfZ and-3, tha-tthe outer end of crank I6 isalso-fconneoted by? the` supporting .pin 2&1 otheroller Irl tothe rear endio-an actuatingfarm' 21:l Thislar'm 214 extends forwardly .beneath-thei'uppen wallvv 2-2faof the'vforward pork'fforh 5a' ofi the housingand'x in spaced relationship thereto@ AsishownfiniFigure 2; the' forward end ojtl'iisrarmfis pr-ovidedwith-a loop portion 23. yThe extreme-forward' endl of' ther'arrnlis provided with ya depending. pivot-bearing v241' (Figure 3)v which receives a pivot pin that connects the forward end of arm 2| to the forward end of a slide-v supporting bracket 25. This bracket 25 extends rearwardly for a substantial distance beyond the loop portion 23 and beneath the arm 2| in parallel relationship thereto.

Upon the bracket 25 there is mounted a slide block 26, it being evident from Figure 1 that the upper portion of the block is `provided with al guide 21 for. slidably receiving the bracket 25. The bracket 25 is provided with a'longitudinal slot 28 and a clamping screw 29 has its lower reduced end passed through this slot and threaded into the block 26. Thus, when/theupstanding screw 29 is properly rotated, the block 26 can be clamped to the bracket 21 orbe released therefrom so that the block 26 can be adjusted,

along the bracket.

The lower part of the block 26 is provided' with y a notch for receiving 'a transverse horizontally disposed rod 29al which is' clamped'thereto yby means of a clamping plate 30. Mountedy on the opposite ends of this rod 29 are the upstariding bracket units 3| which support the arch-contacting rollers 32. Each bracket 3| comprises a pair'of upstanding arms 33 which are rigidly secured together by the lower cross-members 34. At the outer and lower side Vof each of' these bracket units 3| is a vertically disposed plate 35 rigidly secured thereto. 'I'his plate 35 supports the guide rollers 36 which are mounted on vertical axes and the guide rollers 31 which are mounted on horizontal axes. The'rollers 36 and 31 extend into the track channels 38 which are carried by the base plate I adjacent each edge thereof and extend forwardly and rearwardly/thereof for a substantial distance adjacent the forward portion of the machine, as shown best in Figure 2. The rollers 36 take any lateral thrust and the rollers 31 take any downward thrust. The upper ends of arms 33 are provided with notches 39 for receiving the projecting rollerfshafts 40. The rollers 32 are preferably formed with a sponge rubber cover. It will be lnoted that the screw 29 extends upwardly through a longitudinal slot 42 (Figure l) provided in the upper wall 22-of housing portion 5. Furthermore, it will be noted that the bracket arms 33 extend upwardly through the forwardly and rearwardly extending slots 43 formed in the top wall 22. This will permit forward and rearwardmovement of the block 26 which carries the bracket units 3| that support the arch-contacting rollers 32. Fur.thermcre,.the slot 42 will permit the adjustment of 'block 26 on the bracket 25. Since the loop portion 23 is provided on arm 2|, free movement of the screw 29 back and forth is permitted when adjusting the block 26 relative to bracket 25.

It will be evident that when the crank arm I6 is rotated about the axis of shaft I5, the actuating arm 2| will be reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly. This will move the entire unit, carried by block 26, forwardly and rearwardly and this unit includes the rollers 32. The position of the rollers 32 forwardly or rearwardly relative to the arm 2| can be varied by adjusting the slide block 26 along the slide bracket 25.

Y As previously indicated, the crank arm I6 also actuates the arm I9.' This arm I9 extends outwardly and downwardly and is pivotally supported adjacent its outer end by a vertical pivot 44 attached to the base plate I. The outer end of this arm I9 is provided with an upstanding pin 45 which slides in a slot 46 formed in the forward end of the horizontal portion of a`twisted link 41. The rear vertical portion of this link 41 is pivoted, as at 48, to the lower end of a clutch-actuating lever 49. This lever 49 is pivoted, as at 50, to an upstanding bracket plate 5I (Figure 1) for swinging movement forwardly and rearwardly in a vertical plane. The bracket 5| is attached to the horizontally extending vertically spaced supporting rods 52 which are supported by the forward and rearward walls of the housing portion The bracket 5| is provided with a large opening 53 for preventing interference with the movement of the pivot pin 48. Furthermore, this bracket is provided with a pair of outwardly extending pins 54a which serve as stops to limit swinging movement of the lower end of lever 49. A tension spring 54 has its upper end connected to the pin148y and its lower end anchored at 55 midway between the edges of the plate 5|. This spring 54 serves as a snap-acting off-center mechanism for quickly moving the lower end of the lever fromone side to the other into contact with one or the other cf the stop pins 54a.

The upperend of the lever 49 is provided with a yoke 56 .which straddles a clutch-actuating sleeve 51` which is slidably,v mounted on a horlzontally disposed shaft 58 located adjacent the top of the portion 4 of the housing and supported by bearingsy 59 carried'onthe forward and rearward walls thereof. .Each end of the sleeve 51 is provided with a clutch jaw 60. The rear clutch jaw 60'is adapted to cooperate with the clutch jaw carried by a sprocketl while the forward clutch jaw. 60 is adapted to cooperate with a clutch jaw carried by the 'sprocket 62. Both of the sprockets 6I and 62 are rotatably mounted on the shaft 59. Adjacent sprocket 62 on shaft 58 isa sprocket 63 which is keyed thereon.

The sprocket 62 is driven by a chain 64 from the sprocket I9. The sprocket 6I is driven in a reverse direction by a chain 65 from a sprocket 66 which is keyed on a shaft 61 that parallels the shaft 58. This shaft 61'is supported by the bearings 68 carried by the forward and rearward walls of the housing portion 4. It will be noted that the sprocket 66 is adjacent the rear end of the shaft 61. and that this shaft carries adjacent its forward enda gear (S9-which is keyed thereon and which is driven by the gear I I. The sprocket 63 drives a chain 1I) which drives a sprocket 1I at thevopposite side of the machine. This sprocket 1I is keyed on a horizontally disposed shaft 12 whichis carried for rotation in a bearing bracket 13 thatis attached to the forward wall of the housing portion 4. .The shaft 12 extends forwardlythrough the forward wall of housing 4 and the shaft 58 similarly extends through the forward wall of the portion 4. The forward ends of.v these shafts carry crank arms 14 (Figures 2 and 4) which will actuate'the toe-'manipulating units 15 of the machine.

It will be apparent that the sprockets 63 and 1 will be driven in the same direction at all times when driven by the shaft 58. Furthermore, it Will be apparent that this direction will be reversed upon alternate engagement of the forward clutch jaw 60 withthe sprocket 6| and the forward clutch jaw 69 with the sprocket 62. This results in driving the shaft 58 in opposite directions. The; clutch is alternately engaged to reverse the direction of the shaft 58 automatically by means of the rotation of the crank arm I6 which swings the actuating arm I9 about'the pivot 44, and through link 41, swings the clutchactu'ating'lever 49'about the pivot 50, the spring 5,4 aiding in this movement and quickly snapping angina-f s11- the lower encFof the lever intoeither its forward er. rcarwaudspcsiticn rinmontact :with-l.either.v .0f the stops 54. Thus, during cache rotation of, the crank I6, rotation olfy the shaftA 58T will be reversed.

The f toe manipulating andi" gripping uni-ts.V v

are illustrated besti-n Figures-l,- 2* andlr VEach of; these units comprises apla'te-lf and'lafpI-ate T' which arehorizontally disposedin spaced'relationship. The-plate'lG-isprovided withafdepending flange 18 at itsl rear edgevand the l plate 11" is provided with-anwupstandng ange1-f9`-at its rear edgewhich-overlaps' the `flange-1 The horizontal part or the platTFisV providedadfjacent its rearedge--witlr Aa-` pain-of upstandn'g pins 19 which pass loosely through openings formed in the horizontal parts of the plate 16. Each of the plates 15 and 11 carries a cushion pad preferably of sponge rubber. It will be apparent that these pads can be adjusted towards or away from each other by moving plate 16 upwardly or downwardly on the pins 19. For moving the plate 16 and for retaining it in adjusted position, a spring handle member 8| is provided which has its ends normally contacting pins 19. A lifting force on this handle will spring its ends away from the pins 19. When the handle is released the ends thereof will again automatically contact the pins 19 and hold the plate 16 in adjusted position.

The unit 15 is carried by the outer end of the associated crank 14. It will be noted that the crank 14 is provided with a pin 8l which is rotatably mounted in an opening in the flange 19 and which passes through a vertical slot 82 in the flange 18. Rigidly secured to the fiange 18 is the upper end of an upstanding arm 83. This arm 83 is provided with a bifurcated lower end 84 (Figure l) which extends downwardly through a slot 85 in the top wall 22 of the housing portion 5. The bifurcated portion 8'4 cooperates with a small roller 86 carried by the housing I. It will be apparent that the arm 83 will serve to prevent complete rotation of the unit 15 about the axis of the pin 8|, and will thereby always maintain the unit upright, but will permit movement of the unit 15 in a circular path upon rotation of the crank 14. During this circular movement of unit 15, the arms 83 will move vertically and will oscillate about the roller 86.

In the use of this machine, the toes of both feet are inserted between the pairs of pads 80 of the units 15. The plates 16 are adjusted vertically to the proper extent to permit insertion of the toes and proper gripping thereof. The screw 29 is released and the block 26 is adjusted along the slide bracket 25 until the rollers 32 are properly located under the main arches and the screw 29 is again tightened to clamp the block 26 to the bracket 25. The machine is now properly adjusted and ready for operation.

When the motor 6 is started, the arm 2l will be reciprocated which will move the rollers 32 forwardly and rearwardly thereby rolling or kneading the arches. At the same time the arm I9 will be oscillated and will, consequently, swing the arm 49 which will alternately engage the clutch portions 6B to reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft 58. This will alternately and simultaneously reverse the path of movement of the units 15. The driving means is such that the units 15 will preferably travel through their circular paths a number of times while the rollers 32 are reciprocating once. For example, a ten to one ratio would be suitable. The action of tliefmachinerinwmanipulating thccfoot: iszillusei.

tratediin-Flguref- Y 5 l llt4v will be apparentlirom the above description thatifl '-l'iave provideelaf-fbot exercising machina having many* desirable charactcristics.` Duet-tt theifct Lthatl` tlietoes are. clamped byV the-'units-.1 Wwhicln-mcveiin circular paths',` andi the arches'- are-'snppcrtbdorr-therollers l32., which reciprocate? while theeheels `ai"e-=funsureported;- a. very natural-l manipulationf ofi tl'ieefet will be obtained.y Bevm cruiser-'tilea heel i`s-unsupported. their patient can forcehis archesedowncntos ythe rollers 32 withV the d eereffoffpressuresuitablelfor particuflarfcase. rollinghy or' kneading action-will; there fore'ybaccomplisiiedlwith Vthe degree of pressure selected by the patient.

Having thus described -my invention, what I claim is:

l. A foot exercising machine comprising a toe gripping unit, a crank arm supporting said toe gripping unit and mounted for movement about a horizontal axis, a driving shaft for said crank arm, a reversing clutch for said shaft, an arch supporting unit spaced horizontally 4away from said toe gripping unit, a horizontally reciprocable slide carrying said arch supporting unit, a crank for reciprocating said slide, a driving shaft for said crank, a motor for driving both of said driving shafts, and means for controlling said reversing clutch by rotation of the slide actuating crank arm.

2. A foot exercising machine according to claim l wherein said slide is provided with adjustable means which carries said arch supporting unit so that said unit can be adjusted relative to said toe gripping unit.

3. A machine for exercising both feet simultaneously comprising toe gripping units supported in laterally spaced relationship, a crank arm supporting each of said toe gripping units and mounted for movement about a horizontal axis, a driving shaft for said crank arms, a reversing clutch for said shaft, a pair of arch supporting units spaced laterally from each other and in lateral alignment with said toe gripping units, said arch supporting units being spaced rearwardly of said toe gripping units, a horizontally reciprocable slide carrying both of said arch supporting units, a crank for reciprocating said slide, a driving shaft for said crank, a motor for driving both of said driving shafts, and a mechanical connection between the slide actuating crank and the reversible clutch for actuating said clutch in response to movement of said crank.

4. A foot exercising machine according to claim.

f 3 wherein the slide embodies an arm connected to said slide actuating crank and a supporting structure carried by supporting rollers associated with guide tracks, said supporting structure being adjustable along said arm.

5. A machine according to claim 3 wherein pivots are provided between said crank arms and the toe gripping units so that the units will pivot about axes parallel to the horizontal crank axes, and means associated with said units for maintaining them substantially upright during rotation of said cranks which support them, said means comprising upstanding arms connected rigidly to said units and connected for rocking and vertical movement to a fixed support.

6. A machine for exercising both feet simultaneously comprising a pair of toe gripping units, a pair of units for supporting the arches of the vfeet while permitting the heel portions of the feet to remain substantially free, means for ad justingy each toe gripping unit and its cooperating arch engaging unit relative to each other. means for moving both toe gripping units in circular paths in the same-direction atthe same speed and to the-same extent, said last-named means 5 automatically reversing the direction of movement at intervals, and means for reciprocating both arch supporting units in the same direction at the same speed and to the same extent towards and away from said toe gripping units. Y

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein each of the arch supporting units comprises ra, roller mounted on the `unitfor movement about any axis transverse vto the path of movement of said CHARLES. C. MOSHIER. 15 2,397,428 l Y vmiFlimsruJEs CITED The following references are of record in the iilei of this patent:

` `UNITED STATES PATENTS Moshier Mar. 26, 1946 

